Monday, March 20, 2017

Review: There’s This Guy by Rhys Ford

Synopsis

How do you save a drowning man when that drowning man is you?

Jake Moore’s world fits too tightly around him. Every penny he makes as a welder goes to care for his dying father, an abusive, controlling man who’s the only family Jake has left. Because of a promise to his dead mother, Jake resists his desire for other men, but it leaves him consumed by darkness.

It takes all of Dallas Yates’s imagination to see the possibilities in the fatigued art deco building on WeHo’s outskirts, but what seals the deal is a shy smile from the handsome metal worker across the street. Their friendship deepens while Dallas peels back the hardened layers strangling Jake’s soul. It’s easy to love the sweet, artistic man hidden behind Jake’s shattered exterior, but Dallas knows Jake needs to first learn to love himself.

When Jake’s world crumbles, he reaches for Dallas, the man he’s learned to lean on. It’s only a matter of time before he’s left to drift in a life he never wanted to lead and while he wants more, Jake’s past haunts him, making him doubt he’s worth the love Dallas is so desperate to give him.

Lisa’s Review

There’s This Guy is a stand-alone contemporary MM romance written by author Rhys Ford. I have a few books by this author now under my belt and can state that I truly enjoy this author’s style of writing. With this book what you get is a well-written romance that had a perfect balance of sweetness, a little angst and piping hot sexy times.

Jake Moore hasn’t exactly lived an easy life being under the constant stronghold of his abusive father. Now, as an adult, Jake has no one except for his dying father who is still as controlling as ever. Shamed by the two people who were supposed to love him unconditionally, Jake has never truly accepted the part of him that is attracted to other men. He resists his desires out of fear. Despite his promising career as a welder and the art he creates in the privacy of his own home, Jake is in a dark place with no one to help him out. He won’t let his father die alone and this means keeping up with the constant hospice bills and also enduring the continued abuse.

Dallas Yates is on a mission to find the perfect location for his next business project, a new club on the outskirts of WeHo. When he spies a gorgeous metal worker across the street while visiting a possible location, his decision is made. After all, how bad can this location be when he gets to see that kind of eye candy on a frequent basis? Dallas and his best friend, Celeste, have their work cut out for them when it comes to getting the building up and running. Jake comes into the picture when he is hired to restore the original metal work.

There’s a definite attraction between Jake and Dallas; however, Jake is not really in a position to act on what he starts feel for the sexy club owner. The pair form a fragile friendship that blossoms as Jake begins to open up and allow Dallas into the darkness of his world.

This book is well written and made me feel. I became wholeheartedly involved in the beautiful imperfection that was Jake and Dallas and so wanted them to get the happy forever that seemed beyond reach. Dallas discovers that Jake’s life is anything but sunshine and roses so he is determined to be there for Jake as a friend. Watching the love slowly build from the friendship was beautifully sweet. This book certainly exemplifies how difficult and painful life can be at times. However, when you have someone to help carry the burden or to simply stand beside you, the journey becomes much easier.

All in all, There’s This Guy is a beautifully written slow-burn romance that will certainly touch your heart. I highly recommend this read for all lovers of MM romance.

Purchase Links

Meet Rhys Ford

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Tam, a diabetic black pygmy panther, as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.